


Almost Serendipitous

by ChameleonCircuit



Category: Chicago Med
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Rhodestead - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:48:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23784163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChameleonCircuit/pseuds/ChameleonCircuit
Summary: Will knew the answer before he asked, but he had to anyway, just in case no one had bothered to ask yet. “Are you okay?”Connor huffed out a tired laugh, scraping his fingertips through his beard before downing the remainder of his drink. He hailed the bartender down for another, gesturing for Will to do the same, and for a moment Will thought he wasn’t going to get an answer, which only caused worry to settle heavy in his stomach.“I could be better,” he said eventually.
Relationships: Rhodestead - Relationship, Will Halstead/Connor Rhodes (Chicago Med)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 78





	Almost Serendipitous

**Author's Note:**

> Soooo I normally don't post pics under 1000 words on their own (this is what my drabble collections are for) but it was so close and I felt like celebrating my first fic in forever so... bam.

It felt like fate when Will’s eyes settled on Connor at the unfamiliar bar he’d stepped into on a whim. Almost serendipitous, he dared to think, smile tugging at the corners of his lips, but then he noticed the drawn look on Connor’s face, the dark bags under his eyes, the mess that was once his well-groomed beard, and he deflated instantly. Just fate, then. Not quite so sweet as serendipity.

Still, he couldn’t quite chase away the ember that had ignited in his chest at the sight, despite the air of sadness hanging around Connor. It was a feeling of hope he hadn’t even known he’d needed until it spread a long-forgotten warmth throughout his body.

“Fancy seeing you here,” he said as he settled at the bar, just loud enough to be heard over the music and chatter around them.

Connor turned to look at him, a genuine, albeit small smile chasing away the confusion on his face almost instantly. “Will? What are you doing here?”

“Could ask you the same thing.”

It was meant to be light, teasing, but something dark flickered across Connor’s expression and he turned back to his drink with a noise somewhere between a scoff and a sigh.

Will knew the answer before he asked, but he had to anyway, just in case no one had bothered to ask yet. “Are you okay?”

Connor huffed out a tired laugh, scraping his fingertips through his beard before downing the remainder of his drink. He hailed the bartender down for another, gesturing for Will to do the same, and for a moment Will thought he wasn’t going to get an answer, which only caused worry to settle heavy in his stomach.

“I could be better,” he said eventually.

Will opened his mouth to respond before closing it, not quite sure what to say. He wanted to offer to help, to talk it out, to listen, to do whatever needed to be done, but he knew deep down there was likely nothing he could do or say to help. He’d pieced together everything that had happened through things Connor had confided in him mixed with hospital gossip. He’d held onto that knowledge when he’d realised Connor had left without a goodbye, that he wasn’t answering his phone, that his apartment was already empty. He’d held onto that knowledge of everything Connor had gone through because underneath his understanding was a pain so fierce it threatened to burn right through him.

Connor threw a wry smile in his direction, one that looked hollow and out of place on his face. “Oh, you wanted me to lie?”

“No.” Will shook his head right away, angling himself towards Connor just a little more. “I guess I just…I didn’t expect such an honest answer after you disappeared without a trace.”

“Can you blame me?”

“I wanted to,” he said before he could catch himself.

He felt his ears grow hot and he ducked his head instinctively before forcing himself to straighten again, to look Connor in the eye.

“So blame me.”

There was a sudden sadness in Connor’s voice that made Will’s heart clench, and he shook his head, reaching out so his fingertips just lightly brushed the back of Connor’s hand; an offer, a question—he wasn’t entirely sure.

“I thought we were closer than that,” Will said, keeping his voice steady, measured, even, non-accusatory. “But of course I don’t blame you.”

It felt like eternity before Connor’s lips broke into a sad smile, an echo of what used to take its place.

“We _were_ closer than that,” he said gently, turning his hand over, fingers curling around Will’s. “I just...couldn’t come to you. I couldn’t bear the thought—“ he broke off with a sigh, rubbing his eyes.

Will squeezed Connor’s hand, chest swelling with something akin to hope. “It’s okay.”

Connor shook his head, but he didn’t pull his hand away. If anything, he held on a little tighter, not letting go as they sat in silence finishing their drinks.

“Come on,” Will said gently, placing a few bills on the counter before Connor could order another. “I’ll walk you home.”

“That’s in the opposite direction to you,” Connor said, though it didn’t sound like a protest, and he hopped off the bar stool anyway, following Will’s lead.

Will had thought that once they were outside, fresh spring air hitting their faces, that the spell would be broken and things would seem awkward, uncomfortable, like two old friends who realise they’ve not got much in common anymore, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Connor seemed to lean into him, intertwining their fingers as they walked, head turned away just enough that Will couldn’t read his expression. He didn’t dare try, though. He just walked silently, hand in hand with what could have been, once upon a time. What could be now if he played his cards right.

“Is this unfair of me?” Connor asked quietly, finally looking at Will.

“What?” Will asked dumbly, both surprised and confused by the question.

Connor lifted their joined hands between them, giving Will’s hand a small shake. “This.”

“I think you’ll find I started this,” he teased with a soft laugh, nudging Connor gently.

Connor laughed in response, light and airy and genuine, some of the tension finally, finally leaving his shoulders.

He knew he couldn’t fix everything, he knew there was no magic cure, that it was a process that Connor had to go through and he may never be the same, even when he was okay again, but this was a start. Here, hands joined, summer breeze blowing around them, smile lighting up Connor’s face in what looked like the first time in months, was a start, and that’s all he could hope for.


End file.
